


The Bat in the Basement

by Owldorado



Series: Baby Bat [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Disturbing Themes, Gen, Vampires, Violence, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 01:47:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5724925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owldorado/pseuds/Owldorado
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Do you smell that?” Lu Han whispers as they round another corner. Of course Minseok can smell it. Maybe they'll have news for Kyungsoo after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bat in the Basement

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xiukisses](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiukisses/gifts).



> "Oh, I should write something for Jenn for Christmas. Why not something from that cute werewolf-meets-vampire story."  
> I apologize for this. And for myself.

“Why does summer have to be so  _ hot? _ ”

“It wouldn't be so bad if you weren't sitting with your ass  _ in the fire _ .”

Jimin lifts his head from where he's lying, less than a yard from the communal fire's stone border. He tries to scowl but it does little more than make him look like a disgruntled puppy. “Shut up,” He grumbles sleepily, kicking out in spite of Taemin being on the opposite side of the bonfire, well beyond his reach. “I sit this close all the time and it's only this bad during summer. It's the weather's fault it's too hot, not mine.”

“It's not too hot for Jongup,” Taemin counters, arching a brow. “He's been in his fur all day and he hasn't complained once.”

“Jongup will also jump in the river in the dead of winter and not think twice. He doesn't feel temperature. He's weird. Or crazy. Or both.” Jongup, who had been well on his way to snoring until he heard his name, lets out a whine that sounds distinctly like protest.

“Enough,” Minseok commands with a halfhearted wave of his hand. Assuming it can even be called a command with the lack of effort he puts into it. They've been at this since the first real heat wave of summer rolled in on the coattails of the first new moon, over a week ago. The temperature has since mellowed to a resting simmer. A good third of the pack, on the other hand, has not. It's harmless, really, just a bunch of wolves running their mouths to keep conversation in the air. But sometimes it does make Minseok wonder how his pack wound up with so many  _ talkers _ .

If it's anything like the complaints about the cold that were slung about over the winter, they won't stop until nature paints a physical picture of the changing seasons for them.

The bickering wolves give Minseok looks ranging from pouty to sour to endlessly amused (Taemin, of course), but they lapse into quiet, adhering to their alpha's order.

For all of three minutes.

“I wonder if I could roll you into the fire and run away fast enough to keep Yoongi from strangling me.”

“He'd probably just fall asleep on top of Jonghyun and wait for you to come back for him,” Jongdae points out.

Taemin hums contemplatively. “Good point."

Minseok really hopes they have a mild autumn.

“Anyway,” Lu Han coughs to get attention back to the conversation he and Minseok had been having. Or maybe it's to cover up the laughter that's written all over his face. He finds the banter far more amusing than Minseok, likely because he's beta and it's not his responsibility to keep everyone in line if things get out of hand. “The fish should be swimming farther down this way by now. We might want to go upstream in the next few days and see if the beavers have started building another dam before it gets out of hand.”

They've dealt with 'out of hand' before. Last time beavers moved in upstream their dam was so thick it took four days to deconstruct when they finally managed to root them out. Whereas Jimin and Jongup had had the time of their lives trying to chase the buck-toothed rats every time they popped their heads out, Minseok would really rather not have a repeat of that week.

Minseok nods. “You can take Jimin and Soojung up that way tomorrow to check it out. A little extra meat wouldn't hurt us any.” Some furs would be nice too. They wore out more than one of their old ones over the past winter, and with the addition of Taemin and Jonghyun last fall they had already been running on a deficit. Being low on pelts won't kill them, of course, but having them on hand certainly makes walking around in their skins more bearable.

“Can I go?” Baekhyun calls from where he's sprawled over Jongdae's lap. “It feels like I haven't stretched my legs in  _ years _ .”

“You went foraging with Jonghyun like two days ago,” Lu Han replies dryly.

“I'm going to go stir-crazy,” Baekhyun moans. “All of my beautiful fur is going to fall out! I'll be hideous, like an overgrown rat!” He attempts to roll over onto his back to revel in his misery, only to be stopped by Jongdae tutting and tugging on the small braid he's weaving into his hair (alongside the two dozen others just like it). Pouting, Baekhyun settles back into his previous position, behaving, if only for his mate.

Lu Han snickers, undeterred by the eyes Baekhyun cuts at him. “We'll see.” In other words: 'I don't know if I'll be able to handle you all day tomorrow, so I refuse to make promises until then.' Minseok can't say he blames him.

Baekhyun doesn't look satisfied, probably because he knows as well as the rest of them what it means. He opens his mouth to fire back, but cuts off half a word in and turns to the west, jerking his hair right out of Jongdae's hands.

A velvety howl sounds in the distance, more like a song than a cry. Then another; this one deeper, bellowing.

Kyungsoo.

Lu Han grins at Minseok when he looks over, eyes alight with excitement and the slightest hint of puppy mischief. “Think they brought any new toys from the cities?”

Though he rolls his eyes, Minseok knows he's smiling right back. “Only one way to find out,” he prompts.

Lu Han is all too happy to tip forward, only making it halfway into his paws before he's loosing a howl into the air.

 

* * * * *

 

Another hour passes before the sounds of sifting bushes and heavy-treading paws reach the grove. First to emerge is Kyungsoo, sleek and small and almost invisible against the wooded backdrop if not for the pale tips of his toes and tail. Yifan, his mate, follows right after, looking quite his opposite. His creamy form dwarfs Kyungsoo and then some, the odd satchel he carries making him seem that much larger.

Baekhyun, Jongdae, and Jimin are on them in an instant, Jongup trailing after in his typical mild way, tail wagging as he soaks in the excitement coming off the others. He at least has the decency to stand back while Kyungsoo returns to his skin and unstraps the bag from Yifan's back so he can do the same. The others three are less patient, running their hands along Yifan in greeting and showering them both with questions as they try, unsuccessfully, to help Kyungsoo with their belongings.

They don't get many visitors out here in the heart of the forest, for good, fully intentional reasons. Most 'visits' end in the strangers deciding they would rather set up shop and pull out their best bravado to scare Minseok off than continue through on their merry way. Minseok doesn't much care for making those kinds of messes on his land. Kyungsoo, however, with his mellow nature and baffling disinterest in claiming territory, has always been a welcome addition during his short stays.

“ _ Just passing through _ ,” he'd said the first time they'd happened upon him camping on his own. He'd stayed true to his word; he was there and gone in a matter of days, only a stray rabbit bone or two left behind to prove he'd ever existed. Each visit since had been much the same. Sometimes he brings trinkets or treats as tribute, a habit he picked up around the same time Yifan started accompanying him, and he always brings word of the neighboring packs. (Turns out, Kyungsoo has quite the reputation beyond the border.)

Kyungsoo accepts the rambunctious welcome graciously, smiling as he rubs heads with the others, including Jongup, who happily snuffles at his hands and licks his cheek and ear. Yifan, to his credit, has come a long way since his first visit. He's no longer the awkward, antisocial creature he was, greeting them all much the same as Kyungsoo had, aside from having to bend at the waist so Baekhyun doesn't climb up his side to reach him. There's soft laughter and a bit of cackling (definitely Baekhyun) and once the worst of them have had their turn the rest of the pack makes its way over as well.

Minseok is patient, waiting until they're done to usher them all back toward the fire. When Kyungsoo meets his eyes he's prepared to do just that, but something about the way his expression suddenly draws thin has him halting.

There are no toys this time.

But there is news.

There's always news.

Stinging turns to pain along Minseok's palms, but he just digs his claws in deeper. “Is he alive?” He grits out.

Kyungsoo nods. A small relief. “Dongwoo was fortunate. Two of their subordinates were not so lucky.”

“Amber?” Soojung asks.

“Jackson?” Baekhyun and Jongdae are in near perfect synchrony.

This time a shake of his head. “They were young wolves, practically pups. Dongwoo and another of the older members had taken a small group of them to learn how to hunt when the vampires found them.”

“They've gotten bold,” Hakyeon mutters darkly.

“They've gotten out of hand is more like it,” Soojung growls. “Their leashes have grown too loose.”

They're both right, really. It's been over a decade since the coven moved into the old, dilapidated manor two miles outside Minseok's western border and started fixing it up to their liking. It's been about a year less than that since they started causing trouble: prodding along the edges of surrounding territories; seeing how far into each they can sneak before they're chased off by snarls and gnashing teeth; littering their borders with drained carcasses of beasts and men alike, as if marking their pathetically small strip of land in a mockery of their wolf neighbors. Minseok has made his threats clear enough that they no longer trifle with his land, but with them living just outside of his reach there's little he can do to evict them.

Likely unsettled by the volatile energy hanging over them, Yifan is quieter than Kyungsoo when he says, “We ran across a fledgling on our way here, a few miles into your territory.” He resists flinching when so many sharp eyes turn to him, save for a startled blink. “It was two days ago. They may be probing to find where they're going to attack next.”

Then again, maybe threats are insufficient.

Minseok's anger burns hot in the beds of his aching claws, the roots of his teeth. Growing up in the same pack, Dongwoo was to Minseok much the same as Lu Han is now – his best friend, his confidante. Were it not for the addition of a certain female shortly after their coming-of-age, Dongwoo may very well have been his beta instead. Hearing of his condition alone was enough to put fire in his veins. Knowing that the filth responsible for it now threatens his own territory makes him want to breathe it.

Minseok meets Lu Han's eyes and the other wolf offers the smallest of nods, understanding the question before it's posed. When he stands silence falls. “I've had enough.”

“Are we going to put them down?” Taemin almost sounds excited; he usually does when violence is involved.

“ _ You _ are going to stay here,” Minseok practically snaps, dragging the twitch of a smile right off Taemin's lips and replacing it with a pout. “Soojung, Jonghyun, you will remain here as well.” He doesn't bother making mention of Yoongi, their omega; it's rare he gets dragged to do much of anything outside of camp. “Should the vampires find their way here before we make it back, head north to the mountains. We'll find you there.

“As for the rest of you.” He eyes each of them severely; they stare right back with their full attention, alert, awaiting orders. “The manor is at least a day and a half's journey. We leave in an hour. I suggest you eat.”

There is a chorus of uncoordinated confirmations, then movement.

With directions given, he turns his attention to Kyungsoo, who's yet to move from his spot near the fire. “Can you stay until we return?” The 'please' isn't said – it rarely is by alphas – but it is heavily implied. Whereas it seems unlikely that the vampires would be able to take on Taemin, Soojung,  _ and  _ Yoongi, a couple extra sets of teeth certainly wouldn't hurt their odds. They shouldn't have stood a chance against Dongwoo either, but... well.

To his relief, Kyungsoo agrees. “It would be best that we stay for now anyway. With any luck, we'll have good news to leave with when you get back.” A smile, small, but encouraging. It's not much, certainly not enough to work through the storm brewing in Minseok's head, but it's nice to know Kyungsoo has faith in him. Minseok doubts he would be sticking around otherwise.

“If you've not heard from us in five days-”

The smile is replaced by a sober, all too understanding look. Kyungsoo nods. “We'll pass the word along.”

 

* * * * *

 

Empty.

As soon as they're through the swaying gates Minseok can sense their absence, the scent of vampire dulled in a way that can only be attributed to time. There are still traces, of course, just as there are traces of wolves in a nest even when they've wandered off for a few days, subtle but strong enough to tell of habitation.

A couple of them slow to let the fur melt from their bodies – Lu Han, Minseok's customary companion, plus Boa, whose company he is not inclined to refuse. Minseok does not allow himself pause to join them until he's rent the front doors from their seats, locks and hinges and all. “Search the grounds. Find their trail,” He commands in Hakyeon's direction, voice rough as his vocal cords adjust. “Jimin, help with the interior.”

With a bob of his head Hakyeon is off, followed closely by the rest.

Inside the house the presence of the coven is more apparent, the scents stronger than in the grass, but still weaker than Minseok cares for. It unsettles him, feeding his frustration. Even if they left on a hunt there should be more sentries left to watch over the grounds, especially after testing the defenses of hostile neighbors not too long ago. The silence makes Minseok question if he should have forgone the manor altogether and headed straight for Ailee's border.

Yet here they are. Nothing to be done now save gather as much information as they can while they're here.

A cursory scan of the first floor offers no more answers than the front step had, though as Jimin breaks off to sniff his way through the rooms Minseok allows himself to hope a closer look may be all that's needed. Vampires are odd creatures. Like humans, they like to mark things down as routine, on sheets and in books. Their symbols are alien to Minseok, but he knows a few of his pack can decipher them if they uncover something of value.

At the end of the long hall are stairs that lead up and down. “Boa, check the upper levels,” Minseok orders. The light pad of ascending footsteps answers him as he heads for the basement with Lu Han in tow. It seems likely that any ambush would be awaiting underground, therefore Minseok deems it best to put himself in the thick of it before risking the others.

There's a door at the bottom of the stairs. Windowless. Ajar. It offers no resistance when Minseok nudges past it into the near black beyond.

Unsurprisingly, the scent of vampire is thicker down below. Minseok imagines it must be like this for most vampire nests, always a dark hole for them to hide in when the sun comes out to play. Perhaps it's why they began living in homes fashioned like fancy caves to begin with.

They take their time creeping forward, slowing down further as time progresses because, unlike the basic layout of the first level, the basement is labyrinthine. It twists and turns and winds until Minseok is left wondering where it stops, at the outer walls of the house or past the manor's front gates. He and Lu Han drift apart on occasion to inspect rooms on opposite sides of the hall, always remaining close enough to reach one another in case of an attack. Judging by the lack of bodies they've found so far – living or dead – it seems unlikely to happen, but Minseok refuses to let himself lapse into a false sense of security. Vampires are clever bastard and this whole thing could very well be a ruse.

“Do you smell that?” Lu Han whispers as they round another corner.

Of course Minseok can smell it. What  _ it _ is isn't exactly clear, but it is definitely more potent than anything else they've come across so far.

Maybe they'll have news for Kyungsoo after all.

“There,” Minseok says quietly with a gesture down the hall. There's only one door open, cracked just a foot, and it's at the far end of the hall – a dead end. They creep closer on silent toes, breathing only as much as they must, muscles coiling in anticipation.

'Death turned over' would be too mild a phrase to properly describe the stench that washes over them as they enter. It looks bad, and yet somehow it manages to smell  _ so _ much worse, like blood and waste and old, wet rot. It's almost tangible; Minseok can feel it cling to his eyes, his nostrils, the back of his throat- He's going to be tasting this air for days.

The light that filters in behind them is minimal, but sufficient to reveal the mess of corpses (human – maybe half a dozen of them) growing buzzing swarms in one corner. They're old, some of them seeping so that a sticky pond of some indescribable color surrounds them. There are no beds, but the presence of sleeping bags and thin pallets lumped against the far adjacent wall and a marked lack of windows tells Minseok this was some sort of sleeping quarters.

The crouched figure watching them from the makeshift nest serves as further proof.

The figure, a lanky boy covered in filth to match his surroundings, shifts a hair's breadth and a harmony of movement is triggered, Minseok surging forward with Lu Han at his flank, snarls ripping past bared teeth. They're on him before he has the chance to do more than shriek. Minseok's hand is around his throat in seconds, slamming the vampire flush with the wall with such force the back of his skull rebounds off it audibly.

He cries out, pain tinged with fear, a gratifying sound that tingles along Minseok's palm.

The boy's feeble attempts to squirm himself loose betray his age; he has to be young. Wolves are stronger than most creatures as a general rule, but the average vampire can at least put up some kind of fight. This one can do nothing more than claw and gasp. And, as soon as he realizes the futility of his efforts, he finds it in him to beg.

Words blur together in a ceaseless stream only made less comprehensible by a lisp Minseok assumes has been thickened by panic. He just keeps going and _ going _ , not stopping until Minseok's lips curl away from his teeth, a sharp bark silencing him so fast his teeth snap together when his mouth shuts. Minseok's patience has been thin since he received news of Dongwoo's condition and the time being wasted waiting for this vampire to  _ shut up _ is not helping.

There's a rumble itching inside Minseok's chest, begging to be loosed. For now he resists, choosing instead to growl out a low question. “Where are the rest of you?”

“Wh-what?”

“The rest of your god-forsaken brothers,” Minseok spits. “Where have the others gone? When is your sire returning?”

The boy shies away from his ire, or he tries to. It's rather ineffective, what with his overlong limbs and the awkward way he's pinned, his legs forced to bend in order to accommodate their height difference. “I- I don't know! They all left!” As if that wasn't obvious. “They've been gone for a long time. I don't know where they went!”

“So many vampires do not slip away unnoticed!” Minseok snarls, matching the boy's volume, besting it. Were it not for Minseok's desire for information the boy would be ribbons in his hands. “Have they gone back to test Ailee's defenses again? Have they ventured to the mountains to try their luck with Hyorin?”

Claws dig precariously into skin and the vampire cries out in fear; every inch of him reeks of it.  _ Good _ . He should be afraid. His hands have gone from gripping at Minseok's arm to scrabbling in a desperate attempt to free himself. He's so far below the level of a true adversary that Minseok doesn't even bother stopping him. He won't escape. He's too young. Too weak. Too afraid. “I don't know!” He sobs. “Please, I don't understand!”

“Should I make you understand?”

Vampires may not need oxygen to survive, but this one's eyes still widen as his throat is constricted, a byproduct of his young mind clinging to its human roots. He tries to beg, a babble of pleas spilling from him until Minseok chokes them off. Even if he kills this one, the coven will still be back, he reasons. They'll have to return for their children eventually.

“Minseok!”

Minseok tips his head just enough to let Hakyeon know he's listening.

“We've searched the grounds and the manor from corner to corner.”

“And?” He narrowly avoids snapping. Hakyeon is in his periphery now, unflinching as he approaches. They're all on edge; no one will fault their alpha for a flaring temper.

If anything, Hakyeon seems deflated, which can't be a good sign. “We found a few fledgling trails, but that's it. The coven has been gone for a while.”

“How long?” Minseok asks.

Hakyeon shakes his head. “Weeks. They probably abandoned this place when their attack on Ailee's pack went sour.”

“But this room stinks of them,” Lu Han interjects, a scowl in his voice.

“All young ones.”

They all turn toward the entrance, Minseok shifting to maintain his grip on the boy's throat. He's stopped trying to speak, the vibrations in his chest quieted, but Minseok can still feel him trying to pry at his fingers. Fruitless.

“Boa?” Minseok prompts.

Boa doesn't respond immediately. She stands in the threshold, fingers dancing featherlight across the door's damaged surface, the hinges that have been pulled thin, the inside of the door where a handle should be. Eventually she says, “Young vampires have a sweet note to their scent. It's those last bits of human; they take a while to fade. Every fresh scent on the grounds is from a vampire less than a year old. Probably under six months for most of them.”

Minseok isn't sure what to make of this new development and from the look he exchanges with Lu Han it's clear that he isn't either. Of all of them, Boa has had the most experience dealing with vampires by a long shot, so he doesn't doubt her words. It just doesn't make any sense. The coven has grown to an impressive size over the years since it moved in, but there's no way that accounts for the number of distinct odors Minseok can discern in this room alone if they really are all from fledglings.

“How many trails did you catch?” Minseok asks Hakyeon.

“Maybe a dozen,” Hakyeon replies. His frown matches the one Minseok feels on his own face: puzzled, pensive.

The sting of nails ripping through the skin on his wrist drags his attention back to the struggling vampire. It's not much damage – small welts that will be gone by sunup – but it does bring his focus full circle. Based on what he's gotten out of him so far it seems unlikely that they'll get any more out of him about their new mystery. Still, Minseok loosens his hold ever so slightly. Just enough for the boy to gasp and choke as his body struggles to remember how to behave like the human it is not.

Minseok only gives him a moment to adjust before asking, “How many of you were there?”

“I don't-”

“In this room,” Minseok specifies impatiently.

The boy hesitates, eyes darting to the others before he licks his lips and stutters, “M-maybe ten? Fifteen?”

“Where did they go?”

He opens his mouth immediately to respond, but freezes when he catches Minseok's severe gaze. Trembling fingers tense reflexively, preparing for the worst, and he shakes his head. “I don't know.” His voice is as shaky as his hands, his eyes shining and wet. “No one came back to check on us for- I don't know. Days. Some of the others managed to get the door open and ran off. Everyone else left later.”

“The door-”

“It locks from the outside,” Boa supplies, still investigating from the sound of it.

With greater understanding comes the creeping burn of disgust, like acid in the back of Minseok's throat. Though his anger continues to pulse strong and hot through him, he can feel its focus drifting from the cowering boy in his clutches.

When he overcomes the stubborn urge to maintain his momentum he sighs, withdrawing his hand. It's less than satisfying to watch the vampire crumple, but somewhere in him – deeper than he likes to look – he knows killing him would bring no greater relief now. The boy doesn't try to run, just withdraws into himself, knees to his chest, hands in his hair to keep his head low and his neck out of reach. He looks up at Minseok through matted black fringe, unblinking.

“How old are you?” Minseok asks as he lowers himself down onto his heels to match their height.

“Twenty.”

“How long since your turning?” The look that crosses the boy's face is somewhere between blank and terrified – he doesn't have a clue what Minseok is asking. “How long have you been here?”

“Wh-what month is it?”

Minseok looks to Lu Han, who shakes his head, shoulders shrugging minutely. They understand the concept of human months in a rough sense – the lunar months they count are very similar in length – but they don't follow it. Minseok isn't even sure vampires do. “Summer's second moon just passed,” He answers.

That doesn't seem to help. “It was April when I...” The boy's face twists. He buries it in his knees. “It was spring.”

Less than six months.

“You're the last one here?” A nod, just enough to be noticed. Minseok's frown deepens. Though he doesn't share Boa's expertise or Hakyeon's sensitivity, his senses are acute enough to tell the strongest of the other scents are several days old. He's been in here, alone, for almost a week. “You haven't left at all?”  _ No _ . “Not even to feed?” The bodies in the room have been dead long enough to putrefy and then some. Surely even an ignorant fledgling would have some sort of survival instinct kick in and drive him out to hunt.

Minseok drops into a crouch when the boy goes rigid, anticipating, but it lasts only a moment before an odd sound rips out of him, like the human equivalent of tearing metal. His body convulses once and, if possible, shrinks smaller still. “I-” He chokes on the next word. Then on the word he tries after. Three tries in and he gives up, peeling a hand from his person only as much as he must to point off behind Minseok, to the far corner of the room, opposite the door.

The corpses.

Hakyeon is already on it, striding over for a better look. He's a good five feet away when he recoils, an arm over his face and disgust in his tone. “They've been dead at least two weeks. There couldn't have been enough-”

“There was  _ more, _ ” The boy moans as he begins to rock back and forth with jerky motions. His hands are buried deep in his hair; Minseok can see them tugging near the scalp along the roots, forceful enough that it won't be long before he's nursing bald spots. It makes Minseok wonder, briefly, if he already has some they haven't noticed. Or maybe he used to and hair is another thing that regenerates quickly for vampires. Minseok wouldn't know.

Hakyeon mutters something sharp that sounds like a swear. When Minseok turns Hakyeon is staring past him, disbelief and disgust in his eyes. He speaks directly to the boy. “Did you-”

He makes another anguished sound, rocking harder. Hakyeon doesn't finish his question, so Minseok supposes that's answer enough.

He doesn't expect Lu Han to speak, certainly not so softly, but he asks, “Why didn't you go outside?”

“No one ever came back,” the fledgling manages. His voice is higher than it was before; he sounds on the verge of hysterics, assuming he isn't already past it. “I thought- If they were still out there- If they got everyone else again-” Minseok considers touching him to calm him enough to talk, but he fears the contact could very well have the opposite effect on the boy in his current state.

“Who?” Hakyeon asks. “The other fledglings?”

“The coven,” Minseok answers on a growl. The fog in the mirror is beginning to lift; with every answer that falls into place this quaking young vampire is beginning to look less like a villain and more like a victim.

“Boy,” He calls once the rumbling in his bones has quieted. It's the calmest he's sounded to his own ears since sitting around the fire two nights ago. The boy stills instantly, dousing the area in a fresh wave of fear. “Do you remember your name?” He's heard stories of the change triggering amnesia, so he can't be sure.

Wide, wide eyes lift from behind knobby knees and the boy mutters, “Sehun.” It's spoken through his legs, but Minseok catches it loud and clear.

“Sehun,” Minseok parrots. The boy – Sehun – nods a quick confirmation. “Sehun, do you know what happened to you?”

Too many emotions flicker across Sehun's face all at once; it's overwhelming just to watch, so Minseok can only imagine how it must feel to be the one experiencing it. Sehun's voice is small – so small, barely a croak. “I was kidnapped...”

Minseok hates the way his insides ache, though he's not sure if he hates it because he feels pity for the boy, or if he hates that he was put through such an ordeal in the first place.

Everything Minseok knows about vampires boils down in that moment, melting together until all that's left is a single rational thought: Minseok  _ loathes _ vampires.

But then the moment passes and he realizes there's a qualifier to his first thought: Minseok loathes vampires, except for this one.

The wheels in Minseok's head turn, gaining traction and speed to knock his calculating alpha brain back into gear. He's been in command of his pack long enough that snap decisions have become second nature and he's learned to handle them with relative ease and confidence, but this decision feels heavier than most. It's more than a simple choice of where to rest for the night when his pack is traveling. Or who he should send upstream to investigate a beaver damn. Or even whether he should kill or spare the ranks of challenging packs.

It takes longer than usual, but Minseok makes his choice. For better or for worse.

He doesn't stop himself from reaching out this time, despite the way Sehun flinches when his clawed hand nears. Minseok's demeanor remains calm, muscles relaxed, touch gentle – the exact opposite of when his hands were on Sehun earlier. He pushes past the cloud of fear to lift the hair from the boy's eyes. Either his behavior has reassured Sehun or he's too afraid to move because he makes no attempt to fight the touch.

“I can take you away from here. Somewhere safe, where the ones who took you will not venture.” Sehun's eyes are round as can be. “I can watch over you until we find someone to care for you properly and return you to the cities.” Try as he might to dismiss the earthly possibility, Minseok does recall Kyungsoo and Boa mentioning ' _ good' _ vampires in the past. Maybe there's one who would be willing to be the sire Sehun has been denied. (Or one who would be willing to take him to the cities and release him where there is an abundance of humans, if nothing else.)

Sehun does that thing again where his eyes dart to every person in the room. He stammers, tripping over a series of attempted sentences, never quite forming a coherent thought.

So Minseok helps. “If you stay here it will only be a matter of time until the hunger forces you outside. Days. A week. When you're driven from this place you will die.” Sehun's lips snap shut. “Either you will be caught by the sun and burn in the fields, or you will find yourself in wolf territory and be killed.”

It takes Sehun much longer to make his decisions than it does an alpha. Minseok supposes he can't blame him, even if indecision is not something he can easily relate to. “You'll help me get back home...?” He sounds so small, so desperate for something, anything to cling to.

“I will keep you safe. That's all I can offer.”

Sehun swallows a shaky breath, wet eyes riveted on Minseok's face. “Okay.”

 

* * * * *

 

As they leave Minseok's mind trails back to the far corner; his feet follow suit, morbid curiosity demanding he spare at least one look. He hears Lu Han's footsteps echo his own as the rest recede down the hall (Sehun left cowering under Boa's arm, right where Minseok placed him).

Some parts of the bodies hint at features that must have been distinct at one time. Mostly it's just a mess, decomposition compounded by mutilation. Time has swollen them enough that it's impossible to make out bite marks, but that's clearly the least of the defacement they endured. Much more apparent are the oblong gaps shaped like mouths along limbs and upturned backs where flesh should be; the trench-like divots along thighs and biceps with gnawed ends of splintered bones jutting out for flies to claim as their own; the one body with a middle that's almost not a middle at all due to how much of it is missing.

Minseok takes note of the splatters off fouled blood and bile a few feet too far away to have come from the bodies themselves and thinks back to Sehun's sticky face. He's not sure the scowl lines carved between his eyes will ever fade after today.

“And they call us monsters,” Lu Han remarks grimly.

Minseok turns on his heels to leave without a word. He's seen enough.

 

* * * * *

 

Only when they're back outside does Minseok feel like he can breathe again, living earth and lukewarm summer air purging the residue from his lungs.

The others are already gathered around Hakyeon, who is dutifully filling in a mix of skins and furs about their change of plans. Minseok doubts that calling off their hunt comes as much of a shock in light of the coven's abandonment of the manor. Though he hates to admit defeat in any form, Minseok will accept losing their trail if it means being rid of them for good. This time. Should he catch wind of their ranks again, however...

Hakyeon's briefing isn't enough to dissuade all eyes from focusing on the – mostly unharmed – fledgling attempting to disappear into Boa's side. (Minseok is grateful to have her with them. Her even temper is practically a sedative on young wolves and, from the look of it, its effect on vampire pups is much the same.)

As soon as he steps into sight, all of those eyes turn to Minseok.

He strides forward until he's positioned between Sehun and the others, commanding their attention with an unspoken warning. “He was left behind. He's coming with us for the time being.” Minseok keeps it short and simple. He doesn't have to explain himself or defend his reasons, and with dawn not too far off they don't have time for a lengthy report anyway. There's nothing he could say now that can't be filled in later.

The exchange of eyebrow conversations and confused looks is fair given the circumstances, so Minseok doesn't chastise the lack of immediate deference. There are still seven wolves at his heels when he heads for the gates – obedience enough.

“The sun will be rising in less than two hours. There's a cave near the waterfall just past the treeline. Take him there and sleep. We'll clean him up and feed him tomorrow night, when there's more time.” It isn't ideal, Sehun is covered in a second skin of grime and soured death, but there isn't much other choice if they don't want to add charring to the boy's list of traumas.

Jimin, who has slipped into his skin since Minseok last saw him, pauses mid-step. “There's a lion in that cave. What do you want us to do about it?”

“Evict it,” Minseok says. “If it won't find somewhere else to spend the day, it will give us one more piece of good news to take home.” As a general rule their pack is relatively lax about other predators in their territory (foreign packs and aggressive loners notwithstanding). That being said, Minseok is not above asserting their position as apex predators when the need arises. Cougar is just as edible as deer, so it's not as if it will go to waste.

Jimin must have been expecting an answer along those lines because all he offers the others is a quick gesture before surging forward, limbs stretching and shifting almost as soon as he's through the wrought-iron gates. The others follow close behind, only Jongup holding still for his change, in his case because he has to carry Sehun (he's the calmest next to Boa and will do better with the extra weight). It takes a moment to coax him onto Jongup's back and it's more than a little awkward – Sehun is more limb than trunk – but they get him situated and then Jongup is off after the others, albeit a notch slower than the rest so as not to dislodge his cargo.

Once they're gone Minseok turns to address Lu Han, Boa, and Jongdae. “I'm leaving you to claim the area. Mark as far as the southern border goes and halfway to the west, then leave the rest for Ailee.” Taking on new territory when they're already stretched as thin as they are is risky; it's the main reason Minseok had been trying to avoid this outcome, but there's nothing to be done about it now. Better to leave part of it for their allies. Though not all, of course. They do still have to assert themselves, and Minseok will be damned if he doesn't have the land those vampiric parasites have mocked him from for so many years. “Send Jongdae back with word if it's going to take you more than four days.”

They exchange nods and a few brief parting touches. Plans of attack are already being discussed as Minseok turns to pursue the rest of his pack for home.

A hand lands on his shoulder before he gets more than a handful of steps away; he's turned to see Lu Han standing tall and serious. “Minseok, are you sure about this?” There is no doubt which _'this'_ he's referring to. He doesn't sound critical, only concerned. Of course he's concerned. This is a major decision, and an atypical one at that. How many wolves willingly invite a vampire among their ranks?

Then again, how often are wolves presented with an orphaned vampire fledgling that's nothing more than a victim of circumstance?

“I am for now,” Minseok says. It's all he can offer, assurance for this moment. Fortunately, he has every confidence that this is something he can gamble with safely. Sehun is an abnormality, but he is also fragile, both physically and mentally; if anything happens that makes Minseok regret his decision to show mercy it won't take much to reverse it.

One long look exchanged between them and that's the end of it. As it usually is. “What do you want us to do about the rest?” Lu Han asks, tipping his head back toward the broken, abandoned building behind them.

It's one decision Minseok doesn't have to consider.

“Burn it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Jenn for putting up with me and letting me play with this. (And also Nat for letting me whine at you nonstop about my writing woes.) ;u; It's not very happy, but it was fun to write for the most part.  
> Sorry this one isn't quite as fun as the last thing I posted. There is a next installment in the works for this au and I promise it's not all like this. This is an au made for fluff and happiness.  
> No- no, I'm serious.  
> Pls come back.


End file.
